greenloop – sustainability in visitor attractions conference

Prof. Cox, will be opening the greenloop conference with a look back at the extreme weather and record warming of 2024, and discussing what this means for the future.

With extremes of heat, floods, drought, wild fires and storms becoming more prevalent as the climate changes, the impact for our industry and our families becomes ever more likely to become even more challenging. Will the AMOC shut down imminently? Why are wildfires becoming more intense? How does climate change worsen heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods?

We are delighted to be able to offer our attendees the chance to hear from a world-leading climate scientist. Find out what the latest research actually means, and take this opportunity to ask Peter all your climate questions.

David Gianotten, managing partner – architect of OMA talks about the innovative White Cube project.

Through art and architecture, the project connects people on an abandoned Unilever plantation in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Western museums and the art establishment that has benefited from the commercial and cultural exploitation of the region. The aim is to redirect capital to enable the local people to buy back and regenerate their land. The White Cube offers a fascinating framework for institutions to move beyond symbolic gestures of decolonization to impact for the future. Don’t miss this session about a truly powerful enterprise that has valuable lessons for western museums, art galleries and zoos.

PortAventura World was the world’s first carbon-neutral theme park, and in 2024 became the first theme park company to achieve B Corp Certification. As a trailblazer in sustainability in theme parks, Fernández will be updating us on PortAventura’s latest strategies and projects.

Communicating climate action to visitors involves a delicate balancing act for theme parks. How can we talk about the climate emergency and still make sure our visitors have fun? And working with suppliers to encourage them to adopt greener practices can also be a challenge.

Fernández will share with us how PortAventura has developed an effective dialogue with stakeholders to nurture engagement on sustainability with visitors and suppliers.

Business travel has a huge environmental footprint, as anyone calculating their carbon footprint knows. But travelling to meet in person and attend trade shows can be seen as a non-negotiable part of doing business today. Although online meeting alternatives accelerated their evolution during COVID, many of us are back to our pre-2020 air miles.

It can be hard to see how to reduce what’s viewed as a vital part of doing business. And a reticence to face up to the carbon cost of travel can prevent companies even starting to look at their carbon footprints.

Will innovations in aviation save business travel, or must we all stop flying now?

Join Sean Mangan, design builder, Rockscapes of Canada Inc, Richard Maddock, director, Kay Elliott and Innes Johnston, director, Bristol office leader, partner, Max Fordham as they dive into the evolving world of sustainable destinations, from reducing environmental impact to shaping mindset, meaning, and long-term change. Our speakers will discuss how innovative materials, eco-conscious strategies, and nature-inspired systems are reimagining how we design immersive spaces.

Emily Dow, Architecture & Design Studio Executive and Caitlin Krasovic, Sustainability & Design Strategy Manager will be sharing WDI’s progress in sustainable design, including recent innovations in projects across the globe. They will also discuss the environmental elements implemented throughout the design and construction process and lessons learned to date.

Join Katey Leban, conservation coordinator for AZA, Mitch Carl, curator of aquatics at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, and Ross Cunning, Ph.D., research biologist at John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago as they share an active example of conservation and sustainability at work.

In Water parks with purpose, our guest speakers will discuss Epic Waters, a 70,000 square foot indoor/outdoor water park at the heart of the Epic Central development in Grand Prairie, Texas. This 90-acre, city-led sustainable development exemplifies how attractions can drive community impact and meet global sustainability objectives.

This session will draw on Epic Central as an example of how public/private partnerships can deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and provide spaces that are financially viable, environmentally responsible, and contribute to community wellbeing.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of carbon measurement tools, offsetting options, jargon and advisors then you need to come to this session!

Commonly-used climate interventions like Net Zero targets, carbon credits and tree planting seem to be coming under attack from all sides. It can be increasingly difficult to know what to do, and demoralising for organisations that adopted net zero targets and an offsetting regime with the best intentions, only to find these practices immersed in problems and controversy.

In this session Danny Chivers will demystify the jargon and set out the simple climate actions we should take to give us back control and a sense of shared purpose. A key takeaway will be learning how to work with existing carbon reduction/net zero targets or set new ones, and how to create your own ‘Strategic Climate Fund’.

This is a no-nonsense, empowering guide to what to do.

AI has exploded into the public consciousness and seems to be infiltrating every aspect of our online lives. Although this new technology offers significant potential for climate action problem solving, it comes at an environmental cost.

From the raw materials and rare earth metals in construction of data centres, to water usage for cooling, to the electricity needed for power, the resources to harness this technology are huge and growing.

An estimate cited by the UN Environment Programme says that AI related infrastructure may soon consume six times more water than Denmark. The same report notes that the number of data centres is currently 8 million from 500,000 in 2012, with demand still increasing.

Google have set a goal to reach net zero across all operations and value chain by 2030. Given the rapid adoption of AI, and frenzied innovation in finding ever more uses for it, an already challenging target must be getting ever more difficult to achieve. Join us at greenloop to find out what Google is doing to reach net zero.

Raymond Kent will discuss the need for the AV industry to be more sustainable. He will explore greener ways of thinking about AV within visitor attractions, such as Smart AV and a 360 degree lifecycle approach. Attendees will be invited to consider how they can act in their own organisations to reduce the impact of AV, for example by looking at procurement practices, and design and infrastructure planning.

As well as being a pollution issue, e-waste also presents an opportunity for repair and reuse models, and even “urban mining” of rare earth metals. Do other sectors do better at reuse? How can we work together to reduce our impact? Join the discussion and be part of the solution at greenloop 2025.

The fundamentals for climate action are still strong. The climate is changing and people around the US are feeling real and meaningful impacts. As the need for climate action continues to grow, the majority of Americans across parties and generations want companies to stay the course on climate action.

Stephanie Shapiro and Daniel Lawse will discuss how federal policy has shifted from supportive of climate action to actively impeding climate action, as contracts signed under the Biden administration have been cancelled, and federal agencies supporting climate monitoring, climate science, and climate resilience are being gutted.

Not only are climate data and information flows being cut off, but fossil fuel use is being actively promoted and supported.

This makes the work harder, yet there is good work happening and it will continue to happen. Some will shift and evolve, others will stay the course, but climate action isn’t stopping; it’s changing. This session will share examples of this continuing good work and how organisations are adapting to the new reality.

Sustainability and climate action matter today and will continue to. The current state is temporary. So right now, it’s about how to navigate this disruption while it is here.

This discussion will highlight real-world examples of how strategic retail decisions and culinary procurement have led to more responsible sourcing, reduced waste, and industry-wide shifts.

Join this important discussion to:

• Understand how zoos, aquariums, and cultural attractions can leverage their collective purchasing power and industry influence to drive sustainability in supply chains
  Learn practical strategies for engaging suppliers, setting sustainability standards, and fostering partnerships that align with conservation goals
  Gain insight into real-world case studies where strategic procurement decisions have led to a measurable environmental impact within the attractions industry.

If you’re looking for inspiration on how to engage visitors with climate change and sustainability, this is the greenloop session for you.

We will hear from guest speakers Rose Hendricks, executive director, ASTC Seeding Action; Lila Higgins, senior manager, community science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; and Aileen Tennant, regional representative for Europe and the Middle East, International Zoo Educators Association (IZE).

Drawing on their experience, they will provide actionable insights and case studies which will empower you to involve your visitors in sustainability.